Heart valve disease research

A research study being led by Royal Papworth Hospital and the University of Cambridge is hoping to use artificial intelligence to help diagnose heart valve diseases earlier. Valvular heart disease (VHD) affects nearly two million people in the UK with this number expected to double by 2040. About half of those affected by VHD are unaware of their condition, because symptoms often do not develop until the disease has become severe. Cardiovascular Acoustics and an Intelligent Stethoscope (CAIS) is a clinical study aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind screening tool which could be used to diagnose valve disease before symptoms emerge. Almost 1,200 patients with suspected heart valve disease or congenital heart disease have so far signed up to the study across five NHS hospital sites.